According to the Bohr model, what determines the color of light emitted when an electron moves from one energy level to another?
The wavelength of the photon emitted depends on the difference of the two levels the electron moved from/to.
To understand how the Bohr model determines the color of light emitted when an electron moves from one energy level to another, we need to understand a few important concepts.
1. Energy Levels: In the Bohr model, electrons occupy specific energy levels around the nucleus of an atom. These energy levels are quantized, meaning they exist at specific values and not in between.
2. Transitions and Photons: When an electron moves from a higher energy level to a lower energy level, it undergoes a transition. During this transition, energy is released in the form of a photon. A photon is a particle of light that carries a specific amount of energy.
3. Energy Difference and Wavelength: The color or wavelength of the emitted light is determined by the energy difference between the initial and final energy levels. Electrons transitioning between different energy levels release photons with varying amounts of energy. This energy is directly proportional to the frequency and inversely proportional to the wavelength of the emitted light.
So, when an electron moves from one energy level to another, the color of light emitted depends on the difference in energy between the two levels. This, in turn, determines the wavelength and therefore the color of the light. By using the formula E = hc/λ, where E is the energy, h is Planck's constant, c is the speed of light, and λ is the wavelength, we can calculate the exact wavelength of the emitted light.